Mamadou Sarr and Lamine Camara start as Morocco stick with unchanged XI for AFCON final | OneFootball

Senegal have handed starts to youngsters Mamadou Sarr and Lamine Camara, while Morocco name an unchanged side for tonight’s AFCON final at 20:00.

According to L'Équipe, Sarr, 20, is preferred to Abdoulaye Seck to cover the suspended captain Kalidou Koulibaly, having deputised in the 1-0 semi-final win over Egypt on Wednesday. Camara, 22, replaces the also suspended Habib Diarra in midfield.

Krépin Diatta was initially due to start but has been ruled out, with Nice’s Antoine Mendy coming in. Senior figures from the 2021 triumph are present, from goalkeeper Edouard Mendy to Sadio Mané. Moussa Niakhaté also lines up in central defence.

Senegal XI: Ed. Mendy - A. Mendy, Mam. Sarr, M.Niakhaté, El H. Malick Diouf - I. Gueye (cap.), L.Camara, P.Gueye - I. Ndiaye, Jackson, Mané.

Morocco chase a second continental title after 1976. Captain Achraf Hakimi starts at right-back with Nayef Aguerd, Adam Masina and Noussair Mazraoui completing the defence.

Neil el-Aynaoui, Ismael Saïbari and Bilal El Khannouss form a creative midfield to supply Brahim Diaz and Abde Ezzalzouli either side of number nine Ayoub El-Kaabi. Romain Saïss and Eliesse Ben Seghir miss out.

Morocco XI: Bounou - Hakimi (cap.), Aguerd, Masina, Mazraoui - El-Aynaoui, Saibari, El Khannouss - B. Diaz, El-Kaabi, Ezzalzouli.

Source: L'Équipe